Album Reviews

Let’s not pretend – Super Collider and Thirteen were…questionable at best. This left me wary as I sat at my desk ready to hear the latest offering from Megadeth. Half the band had left in the last year, leaving Ellefson and Mustaine with what looked like nothing to continue the …

London based singer songwriter Millie Manders released her third EP Obsession Transgression via JTV Digital on 20th November 2015. Millie has a wide and varied musical background ranging from classical to jazz, punk to soul and, as well as singing, she also learnt to play the clarinet, saxophone and ukulele. …

Formed in Tamworth, Staffordshire in 2013. Heavy Metal band Hidden released their debut EP True Mercian Metal last year. Containing a short intro track  False Ones Must Die and three tracks packed with the classic NWOBHM sound of bands like Saxon and Judas Priest. Lots of screaming guitars and vocals …

19th February 2016 sees the latest studio album release from Canadian Rockers Monster Truck, entitled Sittin’ Heavy. After months on the road, the guys are ready to show us the new sounds they have to offer since the incredible Juno Award nominated Furiosity, released in 2013. Canada has provided some terrific Rock …

Simo will be a new name to most of you, but as an indication of how good they are, it was Joe Bonamassa who brought them to the attention of the record label – any band good enough to impress him is definitely worth a listen. So, what can you …

A few months ago, Witchcraft began releasing some very vague posts on their Facebook page. Fans were expectant. “Were the Swedish doom rockers hinting at a return?” Then came the announcement that in 2016, a revitalized Witchcraft would release their new album ‘Nucleus‘ on Nuclear Blast records. There was much …

Following his nigh on disastrous live return to the UK last October, with the complete shambles that was “Giuffria” at Rockingham this past October, former Dio guitarist Craig Goldy once more re-enters the rock ‘n’ roll arena with Resurrection Kings – a project that sees him teaming up with one …

Darrell Bath released his latest album Roll Up via Livewire/Cargo Records last month. Darrell is an accomplished guitarist, singer and songwriter having played with many well known Punk/Rock bands including stints in UK Subs, and The Dogs D’Amour contributing to their 1993 release “More Unchartered Heights of Disgrace“. He appeared on …

                    One of Europe’s most exciting young Death/Thrash bands return to give your lobes a damn good pummelling with their follow up to 2013’s much acclaimed debut ‘Humanity’. And where as ‘Incinerate All’ follows the same bludgeoning formula to a certain …

Nordic Union is a project which does exactly what its name suggests, bringing together two generations of the Scandinavian melodic hard rock scene – in the form of Pretty Maids vocalist Ronnie Atkins and uber upstart workaholic Eric Mårtensson (Eclipse/W.E.T/Age Sten Nilsen’s Ammunition). It’s a pairing brought together by Frontiers …

“West of Flushing, South of Frisco” is the debut album from newcomers Supersonic Blues Machine, and it’s one hell of a debut – a stunningly good album featuring plenty of special guests.  Supersonic Blues Machine are Bassist/producer Fabrizio Grossi, Guitarist/singer Lance Lopez and Drummer Kenny Aronoff.  The three members have …

Abbath, the supergroup founded by Norway’s iconic black metal front-man Abbath Doom Occulta after his split with Immortal, hit the web last week and it is killer! The aptly named “Abbath” was streaming in full online and is set for release January 22nd worldwide. I’ve had a chance to have …

Before the luxury of the internet, the only way I could listen to new hard rock/metal music in my mid teens would be from Chris Tetley on Piccadilly Radio and Tommy Vance on the Friday Rock Show on Radio 1, so from the latter in 1980 I heard a single …

California’s power shred act Exmortus would have fit right in on Mike Varney‘s Shrapnel Records in the late 1980s, if not for the band’s double bass drum and extreme metal vocal styling. On 2016’s Ride Forth, the band proves there is beauty in all sorts of precision: the hyper-realist creates …

                    What with all the turmoil and heartache billowing around the music world over the last few weeks, I was hoping to stumble upon a suitable gem to kick 2016 off with, and with this 24 carat offering I feel as …

We all know the feeling.  Your favourite band announces a new album and you really look forward to hearing it.  Sometimes it’s just quiet anticipation, sometimes we can’t wait and count the minutes.  With this one, I’ve been watching the clock for the last year.  A year past in December I …

                  Mike Peters and his Welsh alternative rock band, played their first gig in 1981 as The Alarm. After changing their name from Seventeen to Alarm Alarm, the former having toured extensively, the latter only doing one gig before they became The …

2016 has got off to a noisy start thanks to the 5 noise merchants who make up Kent based bruisers Spreading The Disease. Formed in late 2014 by bass guitarist Steve Saunders with the line up complete within 6 months, a lot of promise is shown on this refreshingly genre …

Mojo Stone is a three piece rock and roll band from Buffalo, NY who recently released their self-titled debut album.  They cite influences as wide ranging as legendary bands like Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple through to more modern artists like Jeff Buckley and Rival Sons.  Drawing on these influences Mojo Stone …

In 2013, Runrig celebrated their 40th anniversary, but now they’re bringing things to an end.  “The Story” will be the band’s 14th and final studio album, and there will also be a UK tour. Runrig have always had a distinctive sound with their music really having a strong Celtic folk …